Calvert Vaux natural area

Gravesend Bay, Bay 44 St. to Bay 49 St., Shore Pkwy.

The 3.5-acre restored natural area within Calvert Vaux Park features a sandy beach along Coney Island Creek specifically designed in 2011 to provide horseshoe crab spawning habitat. Hundreds of horseshoe crabs gather each May and June during the full and new moon high tides to lay their eggs. Park staff lead volunteers to monitor horseshoe crabs every year. Salt marsh and maritime shrubland provide additional foraging and nesting habitat for a variety of migratory shorebirds that visitors can observe from the overlook at this Forever Wild site.